missing ink
by tutchit
Summary: Log is a high headed girl with a great sense of evil.


E

There are five clans in our expanse of ruins, ruins meaning that basically everything was rubble and the surviving building are still alight and refuse to be put out. But, there is one other group, more of a government really, it was called The Empire. The Empire was in charge of everything, filled with the leaders and the politicians, but also the rich and powerful. I did not usually dwell on the fact that I was one of the unfortunates that didn't get to be in The Empire, but today being the acquiring there was no way around it. The Empire had children of course, as I was still considered a child until the moment I choose my clan; I wished I was born to that beautiful place.

My mother and father had never really meant too much to me because of the many rules that they established for my family. The only person I had ever been close to was my older brother, Zeus, who turned out to 'betray' my parent and move to a different clan on the day of the acquiring. They weren't even my real parents; my mother had never given birth to an actual child. We just got placed with her; it was the way they did things in Sagacious. Other clans it was much different, they actually knew who their real parents were and their real siblings.

I wasn't surprised when my mother came in, plain looking as ever; though she was highly beautiful. My father was probably somewhere with my little brother and sister, helping them get ready, everyone had to get dressed up, even if they weren't being acquired. I switched my gaze from my mother back to myself in the mirror. In my reflection, I see a narrow face; it is heart-shaped—prominent cheekbones, and then a thin, longer nose and a narrow jaw with a pointed chin. My eyes were very strange; one was a normal blue-gray color while the other was a gold color with shiny flecks that reflected light ridiculously and seemingly 'moved'. They are wide and round and I have a long, thin nose. My curly blonde hair frames my face and my long neck, my body was graceful and taller for a girl.

I had just turned sixteen, I think, nobody really celebrates birthdays; they are useless things that give hope. The Empire doesn't want that. We had one mirror in the house and we usually didn't have use for it since the way we look didn't matter in our daily lives. No one to impress because we weren't allowed to flirt with the opposite sex since our partners were chosen for us.

The acquiring was a horrible day, filled with misery for the parents that lose their kids. And a choice for the children that is too hard to describe. You choose whether to explore a new life full of promises or stay with your family and not have to leave your home, barley any left. Though, you won't have any promises, just the promise of normality. I couldn't tell what I wanted, I didn't know if I wanted to stay or leave because I know that I want to leave just as much as everyone else.

I remember the day of my brother, Zeus, leaving, he was only two years older than me. When he had left, my parents were devastated, though I was sure that were over reacting so that I wouldn't leave too. They had cried for a couple weeks before they finally turned to me, making me promise not to leave. I had never promised.

"Big, big day isn't it?" She asked.

I had heard her say the same thing to Zeus before his acquiring to. This was different; she looked hopeful but restrained at the same time. My mother was not a subtle woman, nor was she good at hiding her emotions. Soon she was bursting out crying and hugging me while I couldn't shed one tear. I however, was the master at hiding my emotions; I wasn't upset because I was the one who was making the decision. Though, I _was_ stressed because I was the one who was making the decision.

"Please… please, don't leave me." It was the sound of desperation, of loss before she had lost anything.

"You know I am not allowed to make any promises." I murmured into her shoulder, I was taller than he by a couple inches.

This was true; I wasn't allowed to make promises because promises can always be broken. I lived in the middle clan, not too poor not too rich. Many moved to the richest, but no one could move to The Empire. This was how they controlled the number of people in The Empire.

The five clans were, Audacious, the clever and fierce fighters, Veracious, the honest and great leaders, Cavalier, the wily and proud, Sagacious, the brave and selfless, Astute, the loyal and perceptive. These were the clans on which I had to choose from, though I still had no idea where I wanted to go. I had pondered this subject all of my life. Knowing, that I didn't belong in this place, knowing that I didn't really belong anywhere.

If I was to choose one other than staying in Sagacious with my family; I would go to Audacious. I knew this and so did my mother, and so she tried to persuaded me to stay because of her rambunctious crying. Audacious was Sagacious' enemy, they were always bickering about something. She got up fanning her cheeks she hurried out the room. I ran my hand through my very long blonde hair. I needed to cut it because it was now a bit matted, but I decided against it and instead picked up a brush for the first time in weeks.

I drew it down my hair, sweeping it into my face lightly, relishing the comforting feeling. My hair was lighter dirty blonde, but the pretty kind of dirty blonde, not the I-just-ran-into-a-mud-pond kind. I wrapped it behind my ears, and then I grabbed a cloth and wiped the smoky dust away from my face. Then a tear slid down my face, not because of the ugliness of the face that looked at me. But because I knew I had chosen. I couldn't help but miss the life I could have had, but want to start mine as soon as possible.

I stared down at myself, I was in some underwear without a bra, I didn't mind having my mother, or anyone really, seeing me naked because they had just brought me up that way. Every Sagacious was brought up that way. I would be willowy, but I was much too skinny for that. You could clearly see every one of my ribs even and the muscle that should have been on my body was eroded away. Though, I was much stronger than most of the people in my clan, not only the woman but the men too. I had very strong will, which in turn made me keep my physical strength up as well.

I quickly slipped into a bright maroon dress, the normal color of the Sagacious people. Walking downstairs I smiled at my little sister who was sitting on one of our plain chairs in our plain dining room. She seemed to be straightening out her dress, though she wasn't doing a very good job.

"You look lovely, sweet." I told her with a smile, sitting next to her. It was true; she was very beautiful, long light blonde curls with blue eyes. I was jealous of her beauty at times, though I knew it wasn't justified.

I hurried out the door, flaunting my beautiful black dress. It was olden, but pretty and it happened to be my mother's when her acquiring happened. It was longer, but tight against my skimpy body.

It was longer, but tight against my skimpy body. I would be willowy, but I was much too skinny for that. You could clearly see my ribs even through the dress and the muscle that should have been on my body was eroded away. I hurried out into the clearing where the acquiring would take place; the gongs were going off to signal the gathering. I ducked my head quietly, wishing for something that would quiet them, they were very loud.

We walked up into groups, girls on one side, boys on the other. Only twenty people were being acquired, I was one of them, which sucked. I looked out at the other girls, they were all quite skinny, but me being me. I was tall and thin with a very angular completion, bony to the core. The agents filed around us putting us into position for the start. Both boys and girls are cornered into squares then they begin to call out names. Girl's first.

"Rose Aberlth and Treasure Aberlth." A high woman voice called. I don't have to look up to know it was my mother doing the announcements. Both girls walk you and grab a brander. I notice they grab different ones, which means that one of them will change. I see the color for Sagacious for Rose, which meant that Treasure would be leaving. I see the color for Astute in her hand, a gray color which was no comparison to the bright maroon color that belonged to Sagacious.

I sighed, I had quite liked both of the sisters, and they were kind and were very loyal. I guessed that's why Treasure is going to Astute, because her personality was a perfect match for Astute. They pressed the branders to their skin, screaming at the pain, tears streamed down their face.

They began to call names quickly now, speeding faster than I had ever seen before. Then finally my name was called, I felt numb, lifeless... scared.

"Olivia Hunter." My mother's eyes burned into me.

I walked over to the brander, looking down at the Audacious brand. It was completely black, like everything in Audacious. I grabbed it slowly staring at it with sheer terror. Then I pressed it to my under wrist, biting back a scream of pain as it burned through my skin. I was the first one to not scream, though I was making muffled groans.

I looked up at my mother; she was staring at me with anger, superiority and pity. I was going to the enemy clan, it was basically forbidden to do that. I was probably one of the first to do it because of the severity of the act. I looked over as I heard a man's voice scream out in anger. I turned to see my father; I closed my eyes to stop the tears that were inevitably coming. He was staring at me with pure anger.

I headed over to the section where I was ordered to go into. I knew that changing was almost unheard of, since Treasure and I are the only ones that have changed over, now there is an outrage of the crowd gathered around us.

Soon they were done with the calling, only Treasure, Falcon, a small boy that lived near me and I were going to leave. The agents began to file us into a line and towards the woods. I couldn't help but look back at my mother, she wasn't looking at me. A tear trailed down my cheek, I realized I had come to a stop.

I felt a rough push on my shoulder, I had known what this choice would have meant, I was supposed to be brave and selfless. I had defiantly got the brave part down, but I was defiantly not being selfless, which meant that I didn't belong here, birth place or not.

I turned around one more time to see my mother's face contorted in pain, she was staring directly at me now. 'I'm sorry,' I mouthed silently before heading forward on my walk of shame. Then I wiped away my tear, this was my destiny I didn't have time to think about the past. And I defiantly didn't have time to be a small child. I scolded myself, and almost instantaneously the emotion ebbed right out of me.

The agent shoved me again, this time much harder, I almost fell over, the emotion was back immediately, I turned on him. A vicious hiss escaped my clamped jaws and I swatted his hand away from me. His eyes lit up with astonishment, then they hardened again and he tried to shove Treasure forward too, she had stopped when I had stopped, gaping at me with fear and amazement. No one challenged and agent, unless you wanted to be killed, of course.

He caught her shoulder and she fell on the floor I snarled and him, lashing my hand out I hit him against the face, hard. I could feel the glares of the Sagacious turning into surprised stares too. The agent's eyes filled with rage, I imagine that he had not expected the punch at all.

"Don't touch her!" I spat in his face, he lunged for me and I dogged easily. "And don't touch me either."

This made him even angrier; he whipped out his hand and landed a punch in my face. My eyes began to water without my brain telling then to and I felt my cheek begin to swell. He had a mocking smile now. I threw my clenched right fist into his stomach, then my left into his ribs. Then I thrust him back with and outraged cry. I felt arms grabbing me from behind, another agent were restraining me. The agent I had hit had fallen onto the floor, but was already on his feet.

"Enough, agent!" I heard a warning yell; thank god my mother had a higher position. She was walking towards us now, if he threw a punch at me now he would probably start a rebellion. The fire had long died from his eyes, now his face was red with embarrassment. Then she turned to me.

"Olivia Alex Hunter." Her voice was full of authority now. "Hurry along before I have you killed."

I could tell she wasn't joking, but instead of going quietly like I should have I raised my chin and gave her a childish `humph` noise. She raised an eyebrow at me when I crossed my arms and spat at the floor before walking away to Treasure. She clung onto my tall frame now. I as no longer missing what I could have had, but instead gleeful that I had chosen to leave.


End file.
